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His college romp comedy Spring Breakers debuted at this week's Venice Film festival and he plays Playboy icon Hugh Hefner in the upcoming porn queen biopic Lovelace. Here are five things you probably don't know about James Franco.

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1. Born April 19, 1978 in Palo Alto, CA, his father is of Swedish and Portuguese decent, while his mother is Russian/Jewish.

VIDEO: James Franco Unleashes In Spring Breakers

2. He finished his BFA degree in English at UCLA in just two years, at the age of 28. In addition, he earned two MFA degrees -- both in writing -- from Columbia and Brooklyn College.

3. To get into his character for the 2001 TV movie James Dean, he briefly cut himself off from friends and family to try to experience Dean's sense of loneliness.

James Franco's Most Shocking Film Yet!

4. Says he actually stopped smoking pot before his role in Pineapple Express.

5. Someday would like to follow in his mother's footsteps and write a children's book.

Video Rewind: James Franco Puts on a New York Accent